Parade
by samettikettu
Summary: As the parade dances through the Milky way, a young boy desperately tried to keep up and join the singing. Why won't the merry band let him join, he doesn't know. But when the beautiful man raises from the Earth like a phoenix and begins to lead the parade, he knows he's not supposed to be there. [Bad poetry / Rebirth]


**Inspired by Susumu Hirasawa's song Parade (Paprika), please listen to it! It's amazing.**

 **Characters © Eiichiro Oda**  
 **Story © samettikettu**

 **No beta**

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Forward and swinging from left to right; men and women in colorful costumes joined together in a dance. Playing their instrument of choice, dancing to the beat of the music. Children, laughing and cheering, hands raised up in the air to catch the fireflies. At their feet danced the smaller animals, eyes sparkling and full of wonder.

The long light path through the starry sky, only visible for the parade. They walked upon the Milky way, leaving only stardust behind them. The beautifully lit night sky awakened with the music, moon opening her eyes and smiling at the merry folk dancing their way past her.

The people joined in a song, music growing louder and merrier as their path went across lands and seas. As their parade carried on, more people joined their celebration and dance. They were people from all over the world, all differences forgotten as they joined hands and danced.

The parade was a happy one and the last one for them as they made their ways to the afterlife. They'd leave earth in peace, reminiscing their time on earth. Some had to leave earlier than thought and some stayed till the very end. A few hadn't had the chance to see the world to know what was really out there while some had seen too much. No tears were shed as this was a happy parade, all the negative emotions had been left behind as they danced higher and higher.

A tired boy trailed after the parade, his clothes were tattered and his feet were bleeding. He kept reaching for the colorful parade, eyes shining with unshed tears as he yearned for the warmth of the lights and colors.

His trail had been rocky and he had fallen down from the path quite many times. But he always climbed back up and with tired feet he'd sought the merry group. The group had grown bigger and bigger by each time they went around the world, welcoming the new people with cheerful smiles and gentle eyes.

But they _never acknowledged him._

He had tried calling them, begging them to wait for him and take him with them. There was nothing on earth for him anyway, he yearned to be with them and be happy. But each time he received a cold shoulder and no one even looked at him. He'd stumble and fall, grasping the edges of the path with tired and bloody hands. He'd never reached the lights of the parade, he was always surrounded by the gentle stars and moon.

He was just a boy without a place to be! He couldn't remember his time upon earth but he _knew_ he deserved better than this.

" _Please, take me with you!"_ he'd call after the people leading the parade over the Twin mountain, his cries drowned in by the old whale's. How many painful years it had sung the same sad song?

He'd follow them over the oceans and skies, his tiny feet never stopping on the path he walked without rest. He knew that if he fell from the path again, it would take him time to climb back and reach the dancing parade. He needed to be careful on the road that began to appear rockier and had more obstacles than before. It was like the path didn't want him to walk upon it. He would need only one failure, one miss, and he'd fall off.

He looked up at the lights farther ahead, the singing only an echo in the distance. He finally stopped to look around. How many times had he passed these seas and mountains, he couldn't remember.

He looked down at himself, amazed how much he had grown during these years. His hair had grown out and his legs were longer and he had grown faster on his feet. He didn't grow as tired on his journey. He was now a man.

Determination burning in his eyes, the man pushed forward. He overcame the obstacles on his path and with the fire burning inside of him, he drove forward until he could almost feel the warmth and light radiating from the parade. He was so close, he'd hear their singing closely and feel soft silks touch his skin.

Suddenly a blinding red light caused him to shield his eyes. The parade didn't stop their playing or singing, if anything the light only got them more excited.  
He had his other arm over his eyes and with other arm he sought the people in front of him. He gasped when he felt someone yank him forward. Shyly, he removed his arm and looked around to see that he was being dragged through the people mass. He felt excited, he had _finally_ gotten to join them!

He looked around, eyes full of childish wonder. No one was looking at him but their faces were gentle and warm. Their songs were familiar to him but he didn't know how to sing them. He had heard them over and over again but never quite understood the words.

He was lead almost to the very front of the parade, his eyes widening at the sight of a golden altar. Four men had their heads lowered and were carrying the altar over their shoulders. On top of the golden altar laid many offerings and different objects from earth. He felt the hand around his wrist disappear and he was left alone in the crowd.

The altar interested him and he walked faster to reach it. He could see someone sitting on top of the golden altar, dressed in colorful and beautiful robes. He rounded the men and walked by its side, eyes inspecting the man and the many delicious looking foods.

The man's eyes were filled with sadness unlike any other's upon the path and his posture spoke of a warrior. He had died a honorable death and placed upon everyone else in the parade.

The man's face darkened and he raised his hands up to his face as if grieving on something. His hands shook and his cries were drowned by the loud music and singing.

He wanted to reach up and console the man, let him know he was going to a better place. A place with no sadness or loneliness. Surely he had made the best of his time on earth and deserved to rest. The man shook his head and shut his eyes.

" _I left something behind",_ the man said. His voice was heavy and full of emotions he found familiar to him. _"I left something important to me behind and now there is no one down there to protect it."_

" _Surely there is someone"_ , he offered with a tiny voice. His eyes followed the man's movements as he reached for his chest, holding his hand against the center. The man flinched and appeared to be in pain, his hand closed around the robes over his chest. _"Clearly that something was very important to you. Did you die protecting it?"_

The shining man nodded his head heavily, wild black hair falling over his face. He frowned and looked at the faceless men carrying the altar. Shouldn't the shining man be happy and proud of his winnings and leaving honorably like this?

" _There is nothing honorable in dying in the arms of your baby brother who has come to save you from death",_ the shining man spat out harshly. His voice had taken an icy tone and his heart was thundering. _"I had made peace with the gods, death was only the matter of time."_

" _But you found peace at the end, correct? And saving your brother from death is the most honorable thing I've ever heard anyone do! He still had years ahead of him."_

The man finally turned his head to look at him and he was shocked to find the thunderous eyes so painfully familiar. The singing and music sounded so far away, he had to check he was still among the group. To his shock, he found himself standing farther ahead from the parade. The altar men had stopped walking and so had the parade. They were still dancing and celebrating, but they weren't moving an inch.

He swallowed when he turned his eyes back to the shining man. His body was finally taking a shape and he was starting to make out his face.

The reaction was simultaneous; the shining man lurched towards the end of the altar, eyes almost the size of the moon. His freckled cheeks turned from pale to red and his eyes watered, shaky hands clutching the altar.  
The other man, blue eyes filled with wonder and sadness didn't know if he should reach for him or not. His eyes fell on his hands, he could feel his whole body shake as the grief began to take control.

Then the shining man smiled and his shoulders fell like all the weight of the world had rolled off. He started to laugh, hand coming to cover his eyes as fat, clear tears fell down from the platform. They fell through the milky way and shot through the sky.

" _You're here"_ , he chuckled to himself. The blue-eyed one felt the air get colder around them and he looked around. The snake-like path was slowly fading and the parade was still where they had left it. He felt the air get stuck in his throat when he saw the white path dissolving, it was reaching for his toes. _"Of course you were here…"_

" _The path! It's, it's fading away!"_

" _But you're not supposed to be here,_ Sabo _."_

The blue-eyed man froze, the name rang familiar bells in his head. The name brought up memories he thought he had forgotten. All the painful ones shook him to the core, his hands coming up to the scar on his face. He traced the outlines with gentle fingers, the fateful day playing on the loop in his head. His legs felt weak and he fell on his knees on the path. All the pain and anxiety he had faced while growing up. No wonder earth didn't feel like home.

" _No… I, I believe I am."_

He heard the man sigh above him.  
He heard the rustling and felt a hand in his hair. He peered up, blue eyes meeting gentle brown. His lips trembled when he began to grasp their situation. _"Ace..!"_

His voice broke at the gasp and all the familiar and warm memories flooded into him. How he had met Ace and their days together, playing and robbing people. Trying to get off the island, becoming pirates..!

But now, Ace was dead.

But Ace didn't look saddened the bit.  
The earlier anger and frustration had flown away with the tears. He looked relieved and content. Sabo couldn't understand the look or why the brown eyes seemed so tender as they looked past him.

The blond man then frowned as he found something amiss. This was wrong, this whole setting was just wrong. There was something missing from his memories, something that brought color and light to his day. Something that had kept them together, tied them together.

He searched through his memories but couldn't remember. He was missing a person. He'd remember the smile and laughter. How they had annoyed and irritated him at first but always brought sunshine in the room.

The loud voice, big watery eyes… The small hands grasping the end of his coat and the quivering body of a tiny child seeking solace from his older brothers.

 _A tiny boy with the biggest dream_ , Sabo's eyes widened. He gaped, his whole body shaking in the cold dark void. Ace was now looking at him with soft eyes. When the blue-eyed one rose to his feet and grasped his wrists, he let him. Sabo shook him and shouted, words slurring together as tears flooded down from his eyes.

The parade was moving once again, Sabo realized. But he couldn't let them take Ace! The altar men raised their heads and began to walk once again and he was forced to let go of his wrists. He'd hear the parade coming closer and he tried to reach for his brother.

Sabo couldn't get forward. He was running but his feet wouldn't take him forward. The colorful people pushed past him, pushing him back in the mass. He did his best to fight his way back to the front but realized his hands were only going through the people. The dancing and singing people continued to walk past him, _through him_ , until he was left alone. He stopped resisting and running.

The path had dissolved into dust in front of him and he was stuck. The road behind him was still mostly intact but he had a feeling it'd start to dissolve as well.

His eyes burned as he continued to stare after the parade, his eyes locked on the man at the front. He'd still see Ace, who was staring down to earth. He was shaking and then Sabo saw it, a shooting star flying underneath them. There were many more after that.

He had spent years on this path trying to reach the parade only to get to it at the end of someone else's timeline. He had been chasing a ghost, he shouldn't be here.

Sabo clenched his fists tight and stared ahead, eyes hard.

" _They thought I was dead",_ he chuckled brokenly. _"I can't blame them,_ I _thought I was dead this entire time."_

Old memories flashed in his eyes, he'd see the small boy from the depths of his smile so bright it threatened the sun, heart big and kind. Eyes full of wonder and yearn for a adventure.

Sabo spun around on his heels and ran.

He ran faster than he ever had. The wind was following him, pushing him forward, guiding him. Before it had tried to push him away from reaching the parade. Trying to tell him he shouldn't be here.

" _This is not my place to be..!"_

His eyes widened in wonder when he saw the shooting stars flying to the same direction as he was. The stars had a red tail and they felt warm. At first he thought they were heading down to earth but instead they flied up and spiraled in the air.

He was still running, he looked up in time to see the stars come down to him. He gasped when the warmth went through him. His feet were still moving as the stars kept crashing into him. Fire engulfed him and all he'd see was crimson fire.

It didn't hurt or burn.  
His chest felt warm and it spread to his fingertips. Even through the fire he'd see the dissolving path. Below him was only water but that didn't stop him from jumping down from the path.

The fire felt safe and he realized that it was him. He was fire now.

He saw land farther away and shot towards it. He'd see his reflection on the surface of the sea and he'd hardly recognize himself. Looking behind, he saw a trail of red star dust. He sped up to reach the island faster. Once he got his feet on the ground he took his time to study his new powers. He'd remember his little brother having odd power like these, only physical and if his memory served him right, the boy was rubber.

He was fire. Ace had been fire but passed his legacy down to him. He'd take care of these powers his brother had passed down to him and make sure their youngest brother would be fine in the world.

" _Luffy",_ he whispered in the night air. The name felt so familiar and good. His chest ached in longing. He smiled, he'd see the boy's face. How much he'd have changed during these years, Sabo was excited to find out.

He turned towards the lights of the town further down the island. He had a lot of studying to do before he was ready to find his little brother.

 **xxxxx**

 _Luffy laid next to him, eyes wandering over the starry lit sky. His eyes followed Sabo's finger as he pointed the white line running over them. His older brother grinned and threw his arms up in the air as he continued his story. The younger gaped, hands seeking the end of the older's shirt._

" _A parade?" he asked breathlessly._

" _Yes! It's a parade of the people who have passed away and are ready to join the after life. There is no sadness or hate, only love and joy", Sabo explained with a warm and gentle tone. "They dance their way across the world on the Milky way, collecting the lost souls from all over the world."_

" _Then", Luffy asked quietly. His hands were clenching the fabric tightly. "Why were you there if… If you weren't dead?"_

 _Sabo hummed and felt his way down to the clenched hands. He pried them off and took them in his own. He gave Luffy's hands a gentle squeeze and smiled. The boy's eyes were full of wonder, just like he remembered. But they had sadness in them as well. He wanted to remove that sadness. It didn't belong in those beautiful pools of stardust._

" _I thought I was dead, until I was reminded by someone that I wasn't."_

" _Who..?"_

" _Give it a guess", he smiled and raised his free hand up for the teen to see. He concentrated on that hand and then heard Luffy gasp next to him. The boy had a watery smile on his face and laughed, happily clutching Sabo's hand._

 _The fire burned beautifully against the dark canvas of the night sky and the two brothers continued to live their lives to the fullest without regrets._

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 **...idk this felt like a good idea at the start *shrugs***


End file.
